In a joyous victory
for Specialist Marc A Hall and his supporters nationwide, this morning
the US Army announced that the “Stop-loss” objector will not be court
martialed next week at Camp Liberty, Iraq as scheduled. Instead, Spc
Hall will be discharged immediately. In December, the Army jailed Spc
Hall in retaliation for his formal complaint of inadequate mental health
services available to him at Fort Stewart. The Army used an angry song
that Spc Hall, a combat veteran of the Iraq War suffering from post
traumatic stress, had produced criticizing the “Stoploss” policy as the
pretext.

Specialist Hall’s
civilian attorney, David Gespass, explained, “I believe we would have
won the case, even in Iraq. While I’m gratified that the Army finally
decided to discharge Marc, I’m appalled at the disregard it has shown
for Marc’s wellbeing and fundamental rights for nine months. Whatever
lip service the Army gives to its concern for its soldiers, its only
real concern is insuring they risk their lives without questioning why.
Marc's greatest transgression was asking that question.” Mr. Gespass is
the president of the National Lawyers Guild.

In a message to the
supporters nationwide who organized a grassroots campaign on his behalf,
Spc Hall provided the following message by phone from Camp Arifjan,
Kuwait: “I’m out of the confinement facility! Thank you to everyone for
all the efforts everyone made. Hopefully I’ll be home very, very soon. I
appreciate all of the love and support so many people gave me through my
ordeal.” Spc Hall, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, also
enjoyed the support of the Veterans for Peace organization.

Jeff Paterson of
Courage to Resist, an organization dedicated to supporting military
objectors, noted, “Spc Marc Hall pled guilty today to producing a
hip-hop song the Army didn’t like in exchange for his freedom. It’s
utterly outrageous that Army spokespersons continued to slander Marc
today. Despite the Army having stacked everything against Marc—including
moving the scheduled trial from Ft. Stewart, Georgia to Iraq—supporters
overcame each obstacle in order to provide Marc with a fighting chance
for justice. In the end, we won.”